Padrón peppers or peppers from Herbón? Discussing the controversial attainment of a geographical indication in light of food (re)localisation approaches

Abstract

Globally, Padrón peppers are a widely known vegetable. Unknown to most, its origin lies in a small village, Herbón, located on the outskirts of the town of Padrón (Galicia, North-West Spain). Local farmers have faced serious problems due to competition with producers from elsewhere commercialising peppers as ‘Padron’. In response, local farmers sought to protect the specificities of the place of origin, a claim leading to the achievement of a geographical indication (GI) label in 2009. This initiative has been controversial, as the name of the pepper and the town were appropriated by a private company, and the GI boundaries were disputed by producers across Galicia. In the context of recent theoretical discussions on food studies, this article makes use of a territorial/spatial approach that integrates Anglophone and Francophone literature to develop a transversal explanation of the development of the GI designation. The institutional landscape, the negotiation of the GI specificities of the food, the local food culture and the collective action of farmers are revealed as key issues in its evolution and establishment